ENCINITAS — The Encinitas City Council on Wednesday approved a series of changes to the city’s residential permit parking program in response to concerns from residents in the Via Molena neighborhood over permit abuse and continued parking issues.
The council voted 3-0, with Councilmember Luke Shaffer and Deputy Mayor Joy Lyndes absent, to amend the municipal code governing the city’s pilot permit zone, known as Zone D. The updates include adding expiration dates to residential permits, raising fees, transitioning to a digital permitting system, and limiting the number of resident and guest passes per household based on unit size.
The changes follow a recent survey of Via Molena residents who reported ongoing street parking issues, an excessive number of permits per household, and abuse of the guest pass system by nearby apartment tenants.
The city established Zone D in April 2023 after years of reported disturbances and spillover parking tied to The Resort at Encinitas apartment complex. Residents said conditions worsened after the complex began charging $25 per space for on-site parking, prompting tenants to park on surrounding streets, including Via Molena, Via Tavira, Via Sarasan, Via Palacio and Via Villena.
Community members described the resulting environment as unsafe and unsanitary, citing vandalism, discarded syringes and condoms, beer cans, public urination and defecation, and verbal harassment.
“We got permit parking because of social problems, not parking availability,” resident Sandra Anderson told the council. “The issues we faced included relentless trash, discarded beer cans and bottles, used condoms and syringes, public urination and defecation, young women being harassed, car repairs taking place on our streets.”
While city staff initially recommended against establishing the zone due to adequate parking availability, the council moved forward following months of public input.
After the launch of Zone D, residents of the Ritz Colony and The Cape apartments complained they could no longer park on nearby public streets. Residents on Beechtree Street also reported increased parking and nuisance activity shifting into their neighborhood.
In response, the council expanded the permit area to include the Ritz Colony and The Cape apartments.
Mayor Bruce Ehlers, who led the push for the original zone, said the program was always about protecting residents’ safety.
“The primary issue here was quality of life and safety, too,” Ehlers said. “I don’t know how many slide shows of debris, drinking, throw up, illicit activity, material on your neighborhood cars, cars being worked on, people drinking in and around their cars — during the day, evening, and night.”
On Wednesday, Ehlers introduced a motion that included:
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Removing a clause limiting permit zone findings to commercial uses
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Adding a one-year expiration date to residential permits
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Capping permits by unit size (one for a one-bedroom, two for 2–3 bedrooms, three for 4+ bedrooms)
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Reducing guest pass limits (two for one-bedroom units, three for all others)
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Shifting to a digital, license plate-based system
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Exploring exemptions for service and delivery vehicles
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Increasing annual residential permit fees from $5 to $25
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Reducing guest pass duration from 30 days to two weeks
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Considering policies for large-party exemptions and a Good Neighbor parking program
City traffic engineer Abe Bandegan presented a one-year update, noting that more than 350 permits had been issued, but demand remains low.
“At no point have we had more than 40 to 50% of the parking spaces occupied,” Bandegan said.
Survey responses from about 60 residents out of 400 eligible units showed mixed reviews. While some reported improvements, others criticized the complexity of the guest pass process and called for stricter enforcement.
Councilmember Jim O’Hara voiced support for a digital system and emphasized user accessibility.
“We should make this easy for the residents to sign up online,” O’Hara said.
Residents, including Anderson and Bonnie Bobseine, again urged the city to restrict pass distribution for large multi-unit complexes. Bobseine cited research from 20 other California cities to support limiting eligibility.
“Currently, if a Resort apartment has 10 tenants, all 10 can get resident passes,” Bobseine said. “Despite the fact that The Resort provides 378 on-site parking stalls, since 2021, The Resort tenants needed an additional 80 to 100 spots on the four neighboring streets.”
The discussion also addressed legal concerns about limiting parking access for residents of multi-unit housing. City Attorney Tarquin Preziosi referenced a 2016 state attorney general opinion cautioning against discriminatory restrictions based on housing type, but said the interpretation of “adjacency” to permit zones remains unsettled.
The council is expected to revisit the program in the coming weeks when consultant Dixon Resources Group presents broader recommendations for updating the city’s permit parking code. The firm is conducting a citywide evaluation and plans to present its findings in June.
“I very much support this program,” Ehlers said. “I fought very hard for it. I will continue to fight for it.”
